Lathing-tool.



Patented Nov. n, I902 W. S. MOORE.

LATHING TOOL.

Application filed Jm. 2a, 1902.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

\VINFIELD SCOTT MOORE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JAMES E. SULLIVAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

LATHlNGrTOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,131, dated November 11, 1902.

Application fi January 28 90 Serial No. 91,592. (No model.)

To all whom it rmty concern:

Beit known that LWINFIELD Soorr Moons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLathing-Tools, of which the following is a specification.

In applying metal lathing, especially in buildings of metal-frame construction, the prepared lath is generally secured to small T-bars by means of wires, which have generally been bent around the bars and brought through slits in the lathing and their ends twisted together underneath the metal between two of the slits. This method of securing lathing in place is not only quite slow, but it also possesses the disadvantage of leaving projecting Wire ends, with which the trowel of the plasterer is apt to come in contact, with the result that the plasterer is required to stop and bend up such ends, and then patch the plastering which has become disturbed in the operation.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a means whereby not only can the work of putting on the lathing be performed more rapidly than by the described common method, but whereby also the ends of the attaching-wires shallbe carried through the lathing and over or behind the bars to which it is attached.

A tool embodying said invention will be first fully described and the novel features thereof then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fragment of a ceiling composed of metal beams or bars and lathing, the lathing being attached to the bars, as is done by means of'my improved lathing-tool; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the tool in the position itoccnpies when in the act of applying a wire fastening in securing lathing in place by means thereof, a fragment of the lathing and of one of the metal bars and also one of the wire fasteners being also shown; Fig. 3, a perspective viewof the tool separately, loaded with one of' the wire fasteners and ready for use; and Fig. 4:, a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, on an enlarged scale, not quite closed, but otherwise similar to a portion of Fig. 2, except that the open position of the tool is also shown by means of dotted lines.

In Fig. 1 I show'ordinary floor-beams 10, a

lathing-bar 11, a fragment of sheet-metal lathing 12, and a couple of lathing clips or fasteners 13, such as are applied by means of my improved tool. These parts are all, except the fastener, of any usual or approved form or construction and are shown merely to illustrate the use of my invention. The clips or fasteners 13 are, as best shown in Fig. 3, preferably made of wire and are primarily of approximately U-shaped form, the sides ordinarily being preferably flared out somewhat in order that they may pass the head of the lathing-bar 11, which, as above stated, is usually in the form of a T-bar.

The tool proper is, generally speaking, in the form of a pair of tongs or pincers, composed of two members comprising jaws and handles and united by a pivot 14:. The handles 15 and 1G extend'down to a suitable length to be conveniently grasped and operated and are preferably normally kept distended by a spring 17. The end of the handle 16 is bent around to a position substantially at right angles with the main portion 8o thereof and forms both a stop for the handle 15 and a handhold for the operator, by means of which he is the better able to force the tool up through the lathing at the beginning and to withdraw it at the end of the operation. The jaws 18 and 19 are continuations of the handles 15 and 16, respectively, and extend up a suitable length to receive the fasteners 13. These jawsshould be made thin, so as to be easily enabled to pass through 0 the slits in the lathing. They are also pointed and are capable of forming punctures or slits in the sheet-metal lath structure when (as is sometimes the case) the regular slitstherein are not exactly in the proper position. The jaw-faces are of a peculiar form. At the lower end of the space between them is a groove, (formed partly in each of the two jaws,) which receives the lower member of the -U- slfaped fasteners, and near, but not extend- 10o ing quite to the points, are other grooves, which receive the ends of said fasteners when they are inserted into the tool. These not only receive and hold the fasteners,but prevent the ends thereof from coming in contact with the lathing or with the lath-carrying bars while the tool carrying them is being driven up into position in the operation of applying have been bent in over the heads or tops of the lath carrying bars then spring in the bodies of said fasteners below said bar-heads with the result that the parts are drawn very tightly together, to the manifest advantage of the structure.

Having thus fully described my said inven tion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A lathing-tool comprising a pair of jaws pivoted together, having prolonged piercingpoints provided with suitable handles, the faces of said jaws being formed with grooves therein to receive the lath-fasteners, and recessed in their sides, whereby the said fasteners may be inserted in the slits in the lathing, carried up alongside the lath-carrying bars, and then bent inwardly by the same tool by which they are carried to position.

2. The combination,in a lathing-tool,of two jaws pivoted together and adapted to carry the lath-fasteners, and provided with handles extending down below the pivot, one of said handles being bent around and forming a stop for the other whereby greater than the pre determined separation of the jaws is prevented and also a horizontal handhold for the tool, substantially as set forth.

3. A lathing-tool comprising a pair of piv- I the ends of the clip or fastener to be closed in over a suitable lath-carrying bar, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination,in alathing-too1,of two jaws formed to receive grip and bend wirefasteners when placed therein, handles formed integrally with said jaws and extending out therefrom and thence together, one extending around outside of forming a stop for the other whereby the movement apart thereof is limited, and also forming a handheld and a spring whereby said jaws and handles are normally held apart to the limit permitted by said stop, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in alathing-tool, of two jaws pivoted together and provided with suitable operating-handles, said jaws having recesses in their faces to receive and hold the lath-fasteners, and other recesses into which said fasteners are forced as the jaws are closed and given their final form, and having pointed ends to enter or make perforations, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 24th day of January, A. D. 1902.

WIN FIELD- SCOTT MOORE.

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, ALBERT F. ZEARING. 

